Twists and Turns
by LadyWillowJean
Summary: AU Inuyasha fanfic, Sess/Kag again, picks up from the first events of 'Swords of an honorable ruler' Full summary inside! Rated M for safety, possible violence and language, and whatever my come in future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**_What if Inutashio lived after facing Takemaru? What If Izayoi was still unable to convince him to run before the great dog demon descended upon the castle? What if Inutashio didn't use Sounga, but instead Tessaiga? One small choice may change the fate of our favorite gang, or are some things simply set in stone? The river of time is ever flowing, and with the Sacred jewel defying the flow of time, what would one choice change about our favorite feudal fairy tale?_**

 _'Because I can't get this idea out of my head, here's another Inuyasha fanfic for yall! AU obviously, I definitely and sadly do not own InuYasha, I hope you all enjoy and here's the first chapter!_ ' -LadyChey

"My dearest…." Izayoi whimpered, clutching her infant closer to her chest, tears beginning to spill down her face. Inuyasha…. Her mate had given her the most beautiful infant boy, white hair with adorable ears. Her hand trailed down the baby's face as she stared into it, willing him to stop crying long enough for her to see the color of his eyes. She hoped he had his father's eyes. Those beautiful amber eyes that smoldered her. She at least had something to remember Tashio by.

The fire blazed long into the night, and Izayoi refused to leave her spot atop the hill, watching silently while holding Inuyasha close. Unable to bring herself from the sight, she remained there throughout the night, cooing to her baby and mourning her mate until sleep claimed her.

When the first glimmers of sunshine hit her face, Izayoi was disoriented. The firerat was tucked around her, protecting her from the morning chill as she leaned against the tree she had rested upon the previous night. The smell of smoke, ash and death was still pungent in the air despite the dewy morning. The most disturbing thing was not that, but the lack of warmth in her arms. The absense of her baby had Izayoi jerking up from her comfortable position, her eyes frantically scanning the area around her.

The soft bubbling coo of the baby drew her eyes directly forward, the silhouette in front of her erupting a dam within her. Tears quickly spilled over her cheeks as she pushed herself off the ground, not sure if she was positive this wasn't an illusion. His profile alone had to be the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in her life.

"My dearest…" She whispered softly, knowing he would hear her.

Tashio didn't turn fully around, but did look at her, his eyes soft and warm and glowing in reflection of the morning light. "Izayoi…" His soft rumbling voice sent her heart a flutter, and she hobbled to his side.

He let out a soft growl, looking at the blood stains still remaining on her kimono from her attempted murder. Izayoi only smiled, her tears falling freely and endlessly. A hand reached up and cupped his cheek, her other free hand resting on Inuyasha in his arm….

Arm, was the key word. Izayoi, confused as to why he did not embrace her even though he did lean toward her, looked him over to see his left arm missing from the elbow down. Though the wound was still red, puckered and angry, it was already healed to the point of no longer bleeding. Izayoi gasped, her fingers trailing down his face to wrap around the back of his neck.

"My lord…." She whispered, concern dancing in her eyes as he merely rumbled in response. "It is of no consequence all things considered." Tashio nuzzled the top of her head, comforting her all he could with Inuyasha in his only arm. "I was sure I would not return to you and Inuyasha. For this life and chance I have been given, I am grateful having given such a small sacrifice."

Izayoi's lip quivered but she managed to nod, unable to find words that could express how happy she was, how regretful she was to have brought such a wound onto her lover, only because of a jealous man.

"We shall return now." He stated simply, right before whipping his hair, tossing a speck from his neck onto his shoulder, revealing Myoga the flea.

"M'ilord you're alive I am so glad!" Myoga sobbed, bowing to Tashio upon his shoulder. Tashio narrowed his eyes at Myoga as Izayoi gently pulled Inuyasha from his grip, smiling at her infant while she made her own cooing noises, leaving the demons to converse.

"You always doubt me so Myoga." Tashio stated, a shadow of a smile appearing on his face. Myoga bawled harder.

"M'ilord you shouldn't tease me! Ryukotsusei had severely wounded you! You did not kill him even but sealed him away! Then you risk your life to save Lady Izayoi from those hoolums and their well stocked army….!" Myoga fell into another fit of blubbering incoherently. Izayoi, unable to ignore the conversation completely, let out a small giggle.

"And you fled to somewhere that you may not witness my great victory against the fools." Tashio stated, smiling still as he knew it would bother the flea.

Ever predictable, Myoga leapt to his small feet and glared, still crying. "I have always witnessed M'ilords victories! Except well… There was too much smoke for me to witness this one…." Myoga ended his argument in a mumble. "How… How did you manage this M'ilord?"

Tashio sighed, looking at his mate who stood to the side, curiosity in her eyes as well.

"It was not without sacrifice. I shall tell you on our travel back to the Shiro." Tashio approached Izayoi, wrapping his arm around her and taking flight into the early morning sky.

"Well haven't you had me worried! The forces under Ryukotsusei have fled, we are victorious, and your Son is nowhere to be found. I've tried to summon him home to comfort me when I thought you were lost. But my word he's so fussy. Taya darling and Minato have been the only ones to consider my torment!"

The sultry voice of Kimi could be heard by all of the travel party, even Inuyasha, who turned in his mother's arms impatiently to see where the new noise came from. The party descended to the steps of the Shiro to land in front of lady Kimi, who stood with her arms tucked into her sleeves and a smile upon her face. The vision of elegance and grace, her long white hair was piled atop her head into one long ponytail, and her kimono was impeccable. A goddess in mortal form compared to the bloodied exhausted human beside the lord of the west.

"Shame on you Tashio." Kimi approached boldly, patting her husband on the face as she looked him up and down, taking in his battered appearance. "And you've lost a limb! My word what am I going to do with you! The lords will be so aflutter the next gathering when they see you!"

Tashio 'hmphed' at his wife and just stared down at her while she smiled playfully, ever the show dog, she held herself tall and proud, even before her husband and his new mate. Turning her gaze to Izayoi, Tashio suddenly let out a growl, a blatant warning to his wife to mind herself, especially with a new pup.

Kimi simply shot him a smirk and approached Izayoi all the same, her small hand reaching out to gently tilt up Izayoi's chin. "I can certainly see why my husband's beast was infatuated with you. My word you are stunning!" Kimi's eyes roamed over Izayoi hungrily, up and down before stopping on the infant half demon in her arms.

"Oh! This must be my son's little half brother. Look at those ears! Those eyes! Tashio he has your eyes how lovely!" Kimi smiled down at the pup, her eyes softening considerably. Though not usually fond of humans, Kimi could not contain herself around pups. Her gaze shifted back up to Izayoi, who shifted nervously under the golden gaze of the demoness, and shocked the poor human woman with a blinding smile.

"Come, we have much to discuss and much to do. We shall get you out of those bloodied rags and bathed post-haste." Kimi gently wrapped her fingers around Izayoi's arm, careful not to disrupt her comfortable hold on Inuyasha.

"What-" Izayoi blinked in confusion and looked at Tashio, who only nodded as the women marched along, though his glare did not falter.

"Women…." He sighed, right as Myoga began babbling about documents and scrolls to commemorate the evening's events for future reference.

Kimi did hear him, and only smiled wider. This was not what she had planned initially for her future, having married a skilled and well respected general for political and power standings. Kimi believed she would give birth to a proper full blooded heir to rule the western lands that once were ruled by her parents, left to her and Tashio, and retire to her shiro high in the mountains away from the noise and rabble of mortal men below, isolated, alone and at peace with having pleased her parents.

This was far more interesting.

"I apologize my lady… I don't quite…" Izayoi struggled to find words to express her confused tired mind. It had not occurred to her really yet that she had died the previous night, with her newborn in her arms. A few hours ago she was sure she had lost everything, now she was being tugged by her mate's…. Wife… around a shiro that far outshined her family's own. Her mate very much alive and mostly in one piece, as well as she.

"Shh, It's alright dear. I shant eat you." Kimi patted her arm, offering a soft smile to the shorter human as she guided her through the halls of the vast, seemingly never ending shiro. Izayoi's look of horror caused her to laugh full heartedly.

"Human's are on an occasion my family's choice of meal. However since Tashio became infatuated with you, it's been hard to come up with reasons to devour such easy and might I say, chewy prey. You are pack now dear, you and your young pup. You are not only under the protection of your mate but his pack as well." Kimi explained as if she were reading facts from a book. She probably was quoting, in her own way, a book she had read in her younger years. But she wasn't entirely sure.

"I highly doubt Tashio has explained anything to you before things escalated. But he and I do not have a loving marriage as you humans tend to. Ours was a political one, my family protected and ruled over the west for many generations. Our forces were mildly dwindling, and our bloodline becoming a bit rich if I do say so myself. Tashio was a very promising potential, showing great power and leadership. So it was decided we marry and produce pups." Kimi had only stopped speaking long enough to open a large Oak door that led to one of the bathing rooms, carved out of the mountain side with the shiro built into the stone to form a clouded hot spring.

"This one is my favorite. You probably need as much rest as you can get, you humans are so fragile." Kimi took Inuyasha from Izayoi's arms, ignoring her small cry of protest as she handed the infant to another dog demon that she had not seen following them. The young woman was stunning, her dark hair and chocolate eyes lighting up at the sight of the pup handed to her. She had a very homy, motherly air to her, but despite her beauty and comforting presence, Izayoi still started to protest.

"Hush darling, I have not finished my tale. This is Taya, new lady of the eastern lands Tashio has just freed from Ryukotsusei. She is a dear friend of mine, and I hope soon to be another pack member." Taya bowed her head in greeting, her black-brown eyes dancing with mirth. "Kimi, please don't tease the poor woman too much, she has been through so much already." Taya smiled at Inuyasha in her hands before looking back up at Izayoi. "Welcome Lady Izayoi, You may call me Taya if you wish, I'm sure we'll be seeing plenty of eachother." Taya bowed once more before continuing down the long corridor. Kimi waved goodbye to her friend, a playful smirk on her face from Taya's teasing comment.

"Your pup shall be safe and moved to your own room. No one would dare touch a pack member of Tashio in his own home. Simply suicide, now where was I?"

Kimi pulled Izayoi inside, shutting the heavy door behind them and began stripping with no shame, leaving her clothes in a trail on the stone floor.

"My house mark, the moon, is for heir's and prodigy's of the lords and leaders of the western lands. Though Tashio is my husband and leader of our armies, he has not accepted my mark as my mate. Sesshomaru carries my mark however, as a bloodline heir." Kimi waded into the hot water of the spring, pausing to turn and fully face Izayoi stark naked. "You see where I am going with my tale?" she asked, hand on her hip as she eyed the uneasy human before her. Izayoi had disrobed to her own nakedness, but bashfully covered herself as she looked up at the stunning demoness.

"I… I don't my lady…" Izayoi swallowed, and with a flick of Kimi's wrist, followed the demoness into the steaming water. Kimi smiled as she approached, cupping water into her palm to gently spill over Izayoi's head.

"I mean to tell you, Lady Izayoi, you and your pups presence are of no consequence to me. Therefore I do not have any reason to kill you and displease my husband." Kimi smiled softly, as if the words she had just said did not imply she would kill the woman if needed, and sank down to sit in the water, resting her head along the stone edge. "You make Tashio happy, and a happy lord makes for happy lands as I'm sure you could assume."

"I see.." Izayoi said softly, following suit and letting a soft sigh through her lips as the water engulfed her and soothed her aching muscles. "I thank you my lady, for your compassion towards another strange woman in your territory." Izayoi managed a soft smile at the beautiful daiyokai. "And I hope, if it is not too presumptuous of me, that our… pups… find companionship and grow strong together. Though from what I hear, your pup is exceedingly stronger than my lord when he was of that age. I can only hope Inuyasha will be half as strong." Izayoi lowered her gaze to the rippling water and smiled, dreaming of an older Inuyasha following his half brother into the future.

Kimi, sat quietly for a moment, considering the human's words. Her initial response was to think yes, it was very presumptuous for her to assume that the future lord of the western lands would allow a whelp of a pup to follow him around. But after a moment to think on it, the more the thought appealed to her.

Yes Sesshomaru was stubborn. However, there was a reason she had left ruling the western lands to Tashio, he had compassion. Compassion for the humans that lived in the land. The humans that grew in numbers and strength by the day. As was evident with her husband's now missing limb. Though he had been weakened prior to his fight, her spies were absolutely sure, one lone human man had nearly destroyed the great Tashio. The thought unsettled her. As did a possible uprising for her son once he becomes the western ruler. Sesshomaru needed companionship and to learn how to rule fairly. Taya and Minato's pup was still too young to be mated, though she and Tasio hoped for a bonding between the young pup and Sesshomaru.

Kimi smiled "I think some brotherly love would be good for our pups." She conceded. Shifting to relax into the spring, she had only just closed her eyes when the sound of her alarmed husband's voice reached her ears, jerking her straight up in the water once more.

"Get dressed and have a guard show you to your quarters!" Kimi was a blur as she rushed out of the spring, slinging a plain white kimono over her naked form as she bolted for the door and to the other side of the shiro, following the sounds of commotion.

Breaking the door to Tashio's work space, Kimi blinked in shock at the sight before her. The sacred jewel, having been in possession and protection of Minato and Taya, hovered and glowed with power in the middle of the room. Taya, standing to the right of her, held out a protective arm across her pup. A small black haired pup with bright blue eyes that gave her the perfect balance of her parents. Minato, a far more wild looking Dog Daiyoukai with shorter black spiky hair stood just past her, his hand on the hilt of his own sword. To her right, Tashio stood with his golden eyes locked on the jewel, a snarl rolling in his chest as he eyed it carefully.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Kimi snarled, narrowing her eyes at the blinding light. Before she or any of the other Daiyoukai in the room could move, the jewel flew in a direct bee-line for the young pup in the room. The purple light shooting straight into her chest.

"My pup!" Taya cried, her arm encircling her pup just as her body began to glow, then suddenly evaporating into the air, taking Taya with her into the glowing aura before disappearing entirely.

"Taya!" Kimi and Minato both screamed seemingly at the same time, Minato lunging into the space where his mate and pup had been just a moment ago. His claws dug into the flooring, shattering the wood beneath his palm. "Taya? Taya!" Minato pummeled the flooring beneath him, his blue eyes slowly bleeding gold and red.

"Minato!" Tashio barked at him, causing the dark haired dog demon to pause in his scrambling "They are not here. Their scent, their aura's… They are completely gone…." Tashio said firmly, as if to not only convince his friend but himself as well.

"What…." Kimi padded over to the spot in the floor that Minato had shredded, her eyes wide and lost. Biting her lip, tears sprung to her eyes and spilled over in quick hot streaks down her pale face. Moving in a blur once more, she shot forward and landed her knee right into Minato's cheekbone, sending the Young Daiyoukai flying into the far wall.

"You wished upon the jewel didn't you?! After being entrusted with it! You fool! You've costed yourself your mate and your pup!" Kimi's eyes had fully bled red, her tears soaking her face that was slowly turning feral. "You never wish upon the jewel! The lords decreed no Daiyou-"

Tashio's only arm wrapped around her neck, stopping her airway and her stalking towards the still stunned Minato. Her claws came up and sank into the flesh of his arm, her legs kicking up in a futile attempt to free herself. "Calm yourself Kimi! I allowed it!"

The dark rumbling of Tashio's voice in her back commanded her instincts. Slowing her fighting to a stop, Kimi eventually stood slack in his arm. Tashio however did not release her from his grip until he could no longer catch a glint of red in her eyes.

"You…. Taya…" Kimi's soft small lips trembled, her face still wet with still fresh flowing tears. Slowly, as to not be pinned again, Kimi floored Tashio with the most lost and destroyed expression he had ever seen on his wife. "You let them wish on the jewel? Taya is gone…. The pup…." The unnamed pup, still too young to have been named, old enough to stand and follow her mother, but too young to manifest her powers and be given a name. Taya had wanted to wait and give her a special name that fitted the future lady of the west. Now… Kimi let out a broken sob.

"Taya made the wish so as not to break the law, she wished for her pup to grow up safe." Tashio stated, resting his hand on Kimi's shoulder. "She was no fool, Though I do not believe this was the one correct wish the previous priestess told us of."

"You speak of her as if she is no more! I refuse to believe this! We must find her!" Kimi snarled at Tashio before turning on her heel and back down the walkway, barking orders at guards and servants alike to begin the hunt. Tashio sighed and shook his head, he would let her do as she pleased for now, knowing there was no other appeasement for her at this moment. Taya and herself had been pups together, they had trained and grown together, and even supported each other during their suits for their respectable mates and husbands. Kimi had not mated with him as Taya had with Minato, but despite their bond Taya never left Kimi's side if possible. The two were almost inseparable.

Now, with the female daiyoukai gone, there was no stopping Kimi in her rage and anguish. Without the calm comforting reasoning Taya offered to Kimi, the scale tipped into a much more brazen territory. Tashio was in for quite the time until he found out what happened to them.

He turned to face his friend who still knelt on the floor, his clawed hand gently cupping his cheek. His blue eyes cast downward in a blank stare.

"Go get some air my friend. We shall attend to your mate and pup's search. You must gather yourself as the eastern lord." Tashio swept out of the room, still deliberating where he should start. With his wife in a flurry in the shiro and his mate and young pup barely adjusting to their new surroundings, the next best option for him to start was one that he was not excited to attend to. He needed someone with incredibly keen senses to help him in his search for the lost pair, and the only one that came to mind unfortunately was probably still angry with him.

His older wayward pup. Sesshomaru.

'If all else fails… Bokuseno is my only hope for my friend…'


	2. Chapter 2

**~I think I've gone over this one enough to be posted, here is the second chapter to twists and turns! I hope you enjoy and please r & r!**

 **(I don't own inuyasha)**

Noise, so much noise it was unbearable. It was nonstop. How could anyone live with this much noise in their ears? And that smell! It was like long time rotten flesh in mid summer sun. It clogged her nose and her senses until she couldn't focus anymore, a painful whimper escaping her mouth. Her head throbbed with every pulse of blood in her veins. She could feel the veins in her skull, each one screaming in agony with the simple effort of pushing the blood through her system. She wanted it to stop, she wanted it all to go away. Her arms were violently shaking as she held her precious bundle to her chest. Another small whimper managed to reach her ears over the noise around her, and Taya forced her eyes open to look down at her pup.

The small pup, blue eyes wide and rounded, looked around with fear and awe at their surroundings. Taya too dared a glance around them to see what she saw, and was even more baffled by their surroundings. It appeared to be a shrine, old and withered, but still very well kept. But something seemed off.

The walls were not of wood and stone… They looked to be made almost of marble. In the most strange shade as well. And there was so many buildings, it was almost an impressive shiro. But the unfaltering aura of the lands did not lie that this was definitely a well protected shrine.

Taya glared at her surroundings, her eyes not wanting to focus properly with the pulsing pain in her head. Still though she tried, the place reeked of humans of all ages, but different all the same. Yet there was no one in her sight. If she was not in so much pain, she might have flared her aura to sense her surroundings better, but she did not want to draw attention to herself while she was in such a state. But when her dark eyes landed on a familiar sight, her cry of relief would have probably alerted any humans nearby.

Hoisting her pup up properly into her arms and stumbling to her feet, Taya made a mad dash for the sacred tree. Old and beautiful, tall and strong, she would recognize that tree anywhere. It was where she had first met Minato, a collision on a hunt for the same prey. Led into a fight and a brawl, ending in the most romantic evening of her life. Minato and she often returned to the tree, despite it's closeness to a growing human village, to pray and bond together. It was under those branches he offered his courtship, asked for her to be his mate and not just his wife, and where she announced their growing pup in her belly. If she was near the tree, Minato would not be far away.

Skidding to a stop a few feet away, Taya's face fell as she approached. Minato was not sitting upon the roots awaiting her. Not only that, but in the middle of the tree was a large scar. Her lips pouted out as she got closer, reaching out a hand to brush along the worn bark. But the energy that hummed through the wood confirmed what she believed, this was the same tree. It had aged quite a bit though, upon closer inspection she could tell it was far taller than the last time she stood under it. Not to mention the energy it gave off was now far stronger.

"Quite a beauty eh? That is our sacred tree!"

Taya jumped, turning to face the stranger with her teeth bared. Sliding her pup to the ground and moving her behind her legs, Taya let out a dark warning growl, her eyes turning red at the corners. The man blinked owlishly at her, though short and not exactly the vision of fitness, Taya did not mistake the aura of purity that surrounded him.

"DEMON!" The man yelled, leaping back in fear, his arms flailing in shock. He glared at Taya and the small one behind her, reaching into his robe to pull out a handful of sutras.

"Return that human child at once and I may let you live!" He hollered, waving the sutras around wildly. Taya growled once more but froze, wondering what the mad monk was yelling about. That was when the scent hit her.

Slightly turning to look behind her, Taya looked over her pup once more, using all of her strength to focus on only the pup and not so much the crazy man. Her pup looked up at her with fear and worry, her blue eyes still the same shade, but lacking the demonic tell point at the corners of her eyes. And her ears…. They were once pointed but now they sat rounded. Taya's eyes widened, fear slowly gripping her. What had the Jewel done to her? The pup still smelled the same, just like herself and Minato, but the demonic aura that once surrounded her was now almost non existent. In it's place was something more… Pure.

"I said leave her be!" The man hollered at them once more, making her ear twitch in his direction, but she could not take her eyes off of what had become of her pup… The jewel had turned her human?!

"I warned you!" He yelled, chucking his sutras at the pair with vigor. Taya flinched and ducked to cover her pup, unsure if this was just all an illusion. She wasn't going to risk her pup's safety to find out. The young pup watched as the sutra's came flying at them, and when her mother had her arms around her once more, she shut her eyes in panic. Taya barely looked in time to see the sutra's hit a barrier, burning up harmlessly inches from her face. Shock filled her, as it obviously did the monk as well as he started yelling as well, his face turning red. His voice though faded as everything around them started turning pink once more before she felt herself get pulled in all directions at once, the same feeling she had right before she was pulled from the shiro of the west.

The sudden silence in the air was deafening. It was as if the world had swallowed her and her pup whole a moment ago, and now sat holding it's breath. Taya hesitated before opening her eyes, looking up once more at the sacred tree. This time though, when she breathed in the air it did not burn her senses. It smelled amazingly clean and fresh, as if the world was anew again. Her brows furrowed in confusion. What on earth had happened?

"Taya?"

Her ears twitched, and Taya spun around quickly to stand on her feet once more. Her pup peeked around her leg and let out a bubbling laugh of joy before running around her.

"Minato?" Taya whispered, her voice cracking with uncertainty as she looked upon her mate, drinking in his appearance as her pup ran to his legs to wrap her small arms around his knee.

"Papa!" The pup sang happily, kissing his clad knee, glancing between him and Taya with a brilliant smile on her face. Minato seemed frozen in place, his eyes wide and disbelieving. Taya stumbled for a moment before following her pup, throwing herself into her mate with a wail. Though she was by no means a large demon, she easily toppled Minato who still remained in shock. Taya couldn't help herself and burried her nose into the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent as if she needed the smell more than oxygen to breathe. She would never mistake that musky midnight scent, it was definitely him. The smell of dew on grass late a summer night, Minato's scent was heaven to her.

"Taya…. How?" His own nose ghosted over her, his arms wrapping around her tightly, pulling the pup next to them as well. "You… Look exactly the same… The pup…." He glanced at their pup who happily giggled in his embrace, his voice fading as he noticed the same changes as Taya had a few moments ago.

Taya sniffed, resisting the tears that rested in her eyes. "I do not know… She… The jewel must have done something to her. I'm not sure what…." Taya nuzzled under his chin, only desiring to be closer to him.

"Not only that… Taya…. You have not changed a day… From the moment you disappeared…." The quiver in Minato's voice drew her eyes to his, a little confused as to why he seemed so much more concerned than overjoyed at her return.

"What is the matt-" Taya's brows furrowed, her eyes widening as she stared at him, her fingers reaching up to brush under his eyes. The dark circles, the paleness of his skin, if she looked even closer, she could see one or two silver strands at his hairline. "Minato?" She whispered, suddenly frightened at the change in him. She had been gone maybe an hour!

"My love…. You've been gone a century…." He whispered, pushing his claws through his mate's hair, pulling her close enough to rest his forehead against her's. "Tell me please…. What happened? Where have you been?"

Taya let out a choked sob, throwing her arms around him and pulling him as close as possible. A hundred years of emotion, whether she had been gone an hour or a hundred years, their bond allowed her to feel everything he felt in that time span they spent apart, and it shattered her from the inside out.

"It seems the jewel transported you two to a 'safe place' when you made your wish. And transported you back when she felt frightened. That is the best assumption I can make." Tashio brushed his thumb across his chin, contemplating the story over once more. Minato, Taya, and the pup sat curled at the base of the sacred tree, the pup fast asleep across her parent's laps.

"As for becoming human… Or the aura of purity, I am unsure. It seems the Kami's have a special plan for your pup, including this strange method of travel."

Tashio's words made Taya pull her pup closer to her. Human or not, she still bore this pup. And would have another soon she learned once Minato and herself had calmed down enough. "Strange travel indeed..." Taya murmured, brushing her pups bangs out of the way. "I think I have a name my love…" She whispered, not taking her eyes off of the sleeping pup in her arms.

Minato wrapped her tighter in his arms, not taking his eyes off of their pup either. They both had seen the glowing star when the pup laughed, when she smiled and became overjoyed. The pure energy and joy radiating from her had caused the light to shine.

"Kagome. My little Kagome the mystery." Taya cooed, nuzzling her pup with love and adoration, though worry still danced in her eyes. She wished for the jewel's protection of her pup, she never could have imagined such an outcome, or what the future may hold.

"Alright I'm off to go meet my friends!" Kagome called, knowing her mother would hear her no matter where she was in the house. 'Mom sense' is what she always called it, and probably the biggest reason she never tried to cause any trouble, her mother always seemed to have eyes in the back of her head. Souta was still learning about that however, and got into trouble quite frequently.

"Sweetheart, will you be back for dinner? I'm making your favorite for your birthday!" Her mother peeked around the doorway to the kitchen, drying off her hands on a hand towel. Kagome smiled and nodded at her. "Of course! I can't wait mom! I'll see you later." Kagome tucked her shoes over her heels and stepped outside onto the shrine grounds. Taking a glance back at herself in the window's reflection, she smiled. Her mother and grandfather had splurged on her wardrobe for her birthday and she had every intention on showing off her new jeans and tribal crop top. Maybe she would even get a haircut while she was out and about. Turning eighteen was a huge deal for her, she graduated the previous year with flying colors, got accepted into university, and had the next year all planned out to travel. Kagome couldn't be happier!

"Buuuuyooooooo!"

Kagome's thrilled thoughts were distracted by her little brother's voice. Following his calls to the old well house, Kagome tilted her head as she approached.

"You know you can't play over here, mom gets mad." Kagome stated plainly, hearing a crash off in the distance and the yelling that sounded like her grandfather. She shook her head and knelt next to her brother, peering into the darkness of the wellhouse.

"The cat is down there… But it's so dark and creepy." Souta muttered in explanation. Kagome sighed, resting her chin in her palm. "Just go down and get him."

"Why me!?"

"Because you're the one looking for the cat."

"Yeah because mom wants me to feed him! Why do I gotta do it!"

Kagome let out a scoff and shook her head. "Fine ya scaredy cat, I'll go get him." She said, marching down the stairs into the darkness.

"Careful sis…. I think I hear something down there!"

"Gee I wonder what… Maybe the cat?" Kagome rolled her eyes at her little brother, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Her eyes scanned the darkness, seeking out their fat calico cat. A soft noise drew her further in, right next to the well, but she saw no sign of their cat.

"Buyo! Breakfast kitty kitty!" Kagome gently called, peering into the darkness of the small shrine.

The scratching continued, making her burrow her brows in confusion right before a fluffy ball rubbed against her leg, making her yelp and jump in surprise.

Souta screamed in surprise as well, falling back on his rear as he glared at her "Ha see! You called me a scaredy cat! Listen to you!" He pointed at laughed uneasily as she picked up the cat, glaring at him in return for his laughter. Souta paused in his laughter and his arm went slack, the color draining from his face.

"Sis…"

She felt it as he said it, the rupture in the air behind her, the suction of the aura of the well as it retracted then exploded in the wellhouse, making her breath flee from her lungs. The sheer pressure of the wells aura kept her from screaming as she felt several ice cold hand wrap around her body, yanking her backwards into the darkness.

"Kagome!" She could hear the echo of her brother's frightened call before a strange low began to illuminate below her, lighting up the incredibly long body of what looked like-

"Aaaaaiiiiiiieeeee!" Kagome began thrashing, trying to get away from the elongated oversized centipede, feeling like she was going to throw up as the head of the body twisted around to crawl up her front, making every inch of her skin crawl in disgust.

"I sense it! Yes you have it! My body returns…. Give it to me!" The centipede woman thing leaned in, licking her face.

"Gross! Get off my you hag!" Kagome let out a snarl, bundling up her power as her grandfather had taught her into her palm and thrusting it towards the creature, only singeing it's flesh and removing a limb before it retreated into the darkness, cursing her the whole way.

 _'A demon in the well? But gramps has kept it sealed forever!'_ Kagome frowned until she suddenly hit ground, scuffing her elbows and knees into the hard pebbled ground of the well. "What the hell just happened… Why am I even thinking about this Demons aren't real!" Kagome shouted to herself, frantically rubbing herself down as if to brush off the essence of the damnable creature from her. _'I must have hit my head. Cripes this sucks… Mom's going to send me to the hospital for sure.'_

"Souta! Get me a ladder!" She shouted, grabbing whatever she could to haul herself out of the well, grumbling about her chicken shit brother for running off. Finally hauling herself over the lip of the well, Kagome gaped at her surroundings.

"The hell have I gotten myself into now?" She muttered to herself, unaware of what was really coming to her.

Kagome sat inside Kaede's hut once more, nursing a cup of tea in a dazed manner as the priestess and her mother conversed. Her mother! Who by the way, sat there as if nothing was wrong with her ears or the markings on her wrists, the same that adorned Kagome now as well. Inuyasha, the half breed, sat not too far off sulking still from his situation. Why he was still here she couldn't imagine. But looking over the half demon in concern, she couldn't help but remember the whole incident once more.

 _"Look out!" Kaede had called right before the centipede demon slammed into her side, a blinding white hot pain flaring through her side as the fangs ripped through her flesh, pulling something more than just her skin and muscle away._

 _Kagome had been engulfed in a blinding quick flash of light the second the jewel had been torn from her body, falling back to the ground in a painful heap, Kagome was left disoriented for several moments, her ears ringing with far too much noise and her eyes unable to focus further than her arms. It took her what felt like several moments to be able to focus enough to notice the lavender stripes that wrapped around her wrists._

 _Still disoriented, she shakily stood to her feet right as Kaede yelled for her once more. She turned in a flash, and saw the demon heading her way once more, and she tried to leap out of the way, successfully projectiling herself like a rocket face first into the sacred tree, sliding down in front of inuyasha._

 _"The hell is with you wench!? You smell different! The hell is goin on?!" Kagome, still dazed, looked up at him as the wicked centipede wrapped itself around her, Inuyasha, and the tree._

 _"Damn! Girl do you want to live?!"_

That had been the question, when the pressure on her lungs was starting to make her see stars, when she worried about ever seeing her family again, Kagome could only respond with one answer, she wanted to live.

And thus led to the half demon sitting with them now. Her mother, apparently jumped through the well to fetch her daughter when she returned from the market to Souta screaming his head off about his missing sister. Missing demon sister, half demon. She wasn't even sure anymore. And her mother's terrible explanation to Kaede was not helping.

According to Tayo, The jewel had merged with her 'pup' when she was young and her mother had made a wish for her to be protected, hoping it was a good enough wish to rid the world of the jewel after the war for its possession with Ryukotsusei, a dragon demon who sought its power and tried stealing it from her mate. The wish however, apparently sent them into what Tayo learned was the future.

After their first sporadic jump in between eras, her grandfather as they now knew them, had taken them in, thinking that Kagome had been sent by the gods with a demon protector to learn under him the ways of a miko. The miko gifts the jewel had given her when it joined with her. The thought made her scoff.

Now Kaede and Tayo were discussing logistics of her powers and the jewel's influence. Kaede was sure that some how in between the ages, her sister had become a reincarnation of the futuristic girl, for they looked so much alike that even Inuyasha was fooled. In addition, Kaede was convinced that Kagome was to be the jewel's protector.

All of this was beginning to be too much, the flow of time was still a concept still not fully understood in her time, how was any of this to make any sense to a girl fresh out of high school?! The most comprehension she had of this crap was in movies! Back to the future, the Time traveller's wife, The terminator. Tayo and herself found comfort in long movie nights, but never did she think she would be a part of something like a movie. She had to be dreaming.

Kagome pinched her arm, blinking slowly and frowned. Nope she was still here. The smell of the half dog demon was more than enough to tell her that.

"The young lass still has the aura of a miko, but now I can also detect her demonic power. 'Tis strange indeed." Kaede hummed as she poured herself another cup of tea and one for Tayo.

"But her markings… And her true scent have returned. We never thought it was possible, and now her powers are too strong for her previously human body… We never thought you would be back…" Tayo's eyes landed on her daughter with concern. How was she to help train her now almost fully grown daughter?

Ah yes, the spectacular moment of launching herself face first into a tree with her inhuman strength. And then running right past her mother and into another tree when she went for a hug. If she weren't so durable, Kagome would be wandering around with a completely broken face like one of those poor head on car accident victims. The thought made her close her eyes in a small tidbit of fear. The conversation continued around her as she slowly brought herself back to focus. Channeling her hearing to only the one room and not the conversation five huts down was finally getting easier.

"Feh! If she can't even fight as a real demon what use is she anyways?" Inuyasha snorted distastefully, scratching at the wood below him.

"Sit boy." Kagome spat, rising from her stupor in time to punish his insult on her person. The half demon went plummeting into the ground at the entrance of the hut, causing Tayo to giggle.

"My Inuyasha you sure did grow up to have some spunk!" She mused, giggling mostly to herself even as Inuyasha sputtered his confusion and anger. Spunk certainly wasn't the work Kagome would have used, especially considering her mother had come along when Inuyasha was in the middle of attempting to kill her for the jewel.

"Wait you knew me as a pup?!" Inuyasha snarled, pushing himself from the ground to pay attention to the older youkai.

"But of course, you were brought to the western shiro right after you were born, Minato and I were there to recount the battle details and take account of the casualties for your father… We were worried he wasn't coming back…" Tayo trailed off, thinking of that evening with a far away look in her eye. The night that started it all for her. Kaede shook her head, Inuyasha hadn't remembered her either at first. Tayo shook her head and grabbed something from her pocket, Kagome barely took note it was a talisman in her grandfather's handwriting. (grandfather- mentor? What was she supposed to call him now?)

"Grandpa made these for us through the years. Of course Souta and I were the only ones that needed them. But this may help you move around for a bit, you'll be at least more comfortable."

Tayo turned and tapped the talisman to Kagome's forehead, smiling as it glowed a gentle green and vanished into Kagome's skin. With the evaporation of the talisman, her markings faded away as well, silencing the distant noises across the village and the scents that assaulted her from the moment her demonic power surfaced.

With the dizzying powers sealed, Kagome came back to full clarity, eyeing her markings on her wrists as they too disappeared. Her headache dissipated, even if fractionally, as well enough for her breathe easy.

"There you go, I must admit I feel a little overwhelmed too when I don't stretch my senses often enough. I can't imagine how you must be feeling sweetheart, een in this era." Tayo relaxed and took another sip of tea, catching Kaede and Inuyasha's shocked stares.

"Grandpa isn't the best monk by far, but his talismans hold some weight when he can actually focus and not rage his way through it. When I explained who I was and what Kagome was to me, he decided to help us and later Souta when he was born, so we may be more comfortable where we are from."

"Wait…." Kagome murmured softly, her eyes starting to go wide as everything was slowly falling together for her. Though not in the proper order she should be asking questions.

"Your mate…. Minato… My father?" Kagome bit every word out, her blue eyes turning to lock on her mother with a blinding fury previously unthinkable. "My father…. Who went overseas never to be seen again?" Kagome's breath's were ragged and uneven, struggling to make their way in and out. Whether it was the stress of the past day or the weight of everything finally crushing her, this was the last straw.

Kagome jumped from her sitting position, gripping her fists tight as she stared down her mother who had the nerve to look perturbed that Kagome was reacting so.

"Kagome, sweetie, you have to understand-"

"No I don't! Because I'm going home! I have friends and university and my whole life ahead of me! To think I'm staying here or letting you get off with telling me my papa is gone forever-WHEN HE IS NOT- is beyond ridiculous! I won't sit here one more minute!" Kagome stomped around Inuyasha, ignoring his sputtering about the jewel. The half demon jumped up to follow her but paused when Tayo called him to stop.

"When she's like this she needs a few minutes to breathe. Some space. Otherwise there's no talking to her without repercussions." Tayo arched a brow at the half demon, clearly referring to the small crater he had left in the ground.

Inuyasha's ears flickered and he snorted in anger, plopping himself down and watching through the crack in the screen as the girl disappeared over the hill.


End file.
